In a fast-paced and busy world, knowing how to fuel your body has never been more important and our knowledge of how certain foods affect our mindset is clearer than ever. With this in mind, frankly, there are no excuses when it comes to not knowing which foods are bad or good for us when it comes to our physical health!
But what is perhaps less well-known, is the impact that certain foods have on our productivity and mental well-being. We’ve taken a look into how to make the right food choices to reach your full potential at work.
Eat slow-release foods
Something humankind has known for a while is that foods which release glucose slowly offer your body more sustained energy. Foods such as oats, fruit, whole grains and veg don’t cause a huge surge in your blood sugar, because they deliver a slow stream of energy to your brain.
Despite this being common knowledge, we still have a huge issue with “cake culture” here in the UK and being able to resist it when colleagues bring in sugary treats for all to enjoy. Having a sugary snack one time too often can leave your feel groggy after just an hour or so when the sugar rush has worn off.
Stick to foods that keep you fuller for longer to avoid a sugar come-down at work. If you need some inspiration for what to eat, check out this article from Forbes.
Limit your caffeine intake
It’s true that caffeine can be the pick-me-up we all need when we’re just not feeling it at work. However, too much can cause digestive issues, loss of focus and anxiety, which is the last thing you want at work if you’ve got a huge task to do or you need to deliver a presentation.
If you’re a coffee fiend, choose a Lungo coffee so you’re not tempted to neck 3 small espressos in an hour. Make sure you stay hydrated if you’re drinking coffee; as it’s a diuretic, it can quickly leave you feeling dehydrated if you don’t replenish those fluids, causing headaches and light-headedness.
Make your lunch yourself
Being responsible for your food choices before you get hungry is a huge key to staying healthy. We tend to make poor food choices when we’re hungry, so the way to avoid this is to create a healthy lunch before we’re hungry.
Make your lunch the night before after you’ve had dinner, or first thing in the morning after you’ve had breakfast. This way you won’t be tempted to buy lunch from a café or restaurant where you have no control over what’s going into your food.
This is the start of a series of “Wellness at Work” blogs from us here at Healthier Matters. Keep your eyes peeled for more advice on how you can improve your wellness in the workplace!
